Chrysanthemum plant named ‘G20FON14RE’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘G20FON14RE’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly rounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; flexible stems; dark green-colored leaves; early, uniform and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; and large decorative-type inflorescences with ray florets that are light red in color.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum X morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘G20FON14RE’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY-RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Chrysanthemum Plant Named ‘G19FON11OR’

Applicant: Elien Sofie Pieters

Filed: Jan. 13, 2018

U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,675

Title: Chrysanthemum Plant Named ‘G19FON01WH’

Applicant: Elien Sofie Pieters

Filed: Jan. 13, 2018

U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,673

Title: Chrysanthemum Plant Named ‘G19FON04YE’

Applicant: Elien Sofie Pieters

Filed: Jan. 13, 2018

U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,674

Title: Chrysanthemum Plant Named ‘G20FON11OR’

Applicant: Elien Sofie Pieters

Filed: Concurrently with the instant application

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum X morifolium and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘G20FON14RE’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniformly mounding and freely flowering Chrysanthemum plants with unique and attractive ray floret coloration.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘G19FON06PI’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,390. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of flowering plants of ‘G19FON06PI’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium in October, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by vegetative terminal cuttings was first conducted in a controlled greenhouse environment in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium in January, 2017. Asexual reproduction by vegetative terminal cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘G20FON14RE’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘G20FON14RE’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly rounded plant         habit; vigorous growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; flexible         stems.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Early, uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Large decorative-type inflorescences with ray florets that         are initially light red in color.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the mutation parent, ‘G19FON06PI’. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘G19FON06PI’ in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are light red in color whereas ray florets of plants of ‘G19FON06PI’ are greyed purple in color.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘G19FON11OR’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,675. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘G19FON11OR’ in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are light red in color whereas ray florets of plants of ‘G19FON11OR’ are greyed orange in color.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘G19FON01WH’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,673. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘G19FON01WH’ in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are light red in color whereas ray florets of plants of ‘G19FON01WH’ are white in color.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘G19FON04YE’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,674. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘G19FON04YE’ in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are light red in color whereas ray florets of plants of ‘G19FON04YE’ are bright yellow in color.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘G20FON11OR’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘G20FON11OR’ in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are light red in color whereas ray florets of plants of ‘G20FON11OR’ are initially light yellowish pink in color and with development become pale yellowish pink in color.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘Amiko Bronze’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,201. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘Amiko Bronze’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more uniformly rounded         than plants of ‘Amiko Bronze’.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about two to three         weeks earlier than plants of ‘Amiko Bronze’.     -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of ‘Amiko         Bronze’ in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of the new         Chrysanthemum are light red in color whereas ray florets of         plants of ‘Amiko Bronze’ are bronze in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. The photograph (FIG. 1) comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘G20FON14RE’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 19-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium under natural daylengths during the late summer and early autumn and under cultural practices generally used in commercial Chrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 18° C. Plants were 20 weeks old when the photograph and detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2005 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘G20FON14RE’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Chrysanthemum     X morifolium ‘G19FON06PI’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,390. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 20 days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 40 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically light brown in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Perennial decorative-type Chrysanthemum; stems             upright and outwardly spreading giving a uniformly rounded             appearance to the plant; plants roughly spherical; very             freely branching habit, about 20 primary lateral branches             develop, each primary lateral branch with multiple secondary             branches; pinching enhances lateral branch development;             dense and full plant habit; vigorous growth habit; rapid             growth rate; plants flexible, not brittle.         -   Plant height.—About 45 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 60 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 30 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm             to 3 mm. Internode length: About 3 cm. Strength: Moderately             strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent, fine; longitudinally             ridged. Color: Close to 141A.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 4.5 cm             to 6 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm to 3 cm. Apex: Rounded. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed and serrate, sinuses             between lateral lobes divergent to parallel. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent. Venation: Palmately             reticulate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close             to 141A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 139C.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A;             venation, close to 148C. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to 147B to 147C.             Petioles: Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Slightly pubescent; slightly             rough. Color, upper surface: Close to 137A. Color, lower             surface: Close to 137C. Stipules: Length: About 1 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Slightly pubescent; rough. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 137A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form;             inflorescences borne on terminals above foliar plane; disc             and ray florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant, pungent.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants             flower in early September in Belgium; flowering response             time, about 32 days.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color             and substance for about 38 to 40 days in an outdoor nursery;             inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—About 20 to 25 inflorescences             develop per lateral branch.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 6 mm. Diameter: About             8 mm. Shape: Globular. Color: Close to 47C.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 6 cm.         -   Inflorescence depth (height).—About 3.5 cm.         -   Disc diameter.—About 7 mm; inconspicuous.         -   Receptacle diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Receptacle height.—About 2.5 mm to 3 mm.         -   Receptacle color.—Close to 144B.         -   Ray florets.—Length: About 3.5 cm to 5 cm. Width: About             7 mm. Shape: Oval. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire. Aspect: Mostly flat. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Number of ray             florets per inflorescence: About 125 to 150 arranged in             about seven whorls. Color: When opening, upper surface:             Close to 48A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 47D.             Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 48B; color becoming             closer to 43D development. Fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 48B; color becoming closer to 39C with development.         -   Disc florets.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm to             1 mm. Shape: Tubular; apices dentate. Number of disc florets             per inflorescence: About 60 to 80 massed at the center of             the inflorescence. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             glossy. Color, immature: Close to 145A. Color, mature: Close             to 12A.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 25             arranged in two or three whorls. Length: About 4 mm to 6 mm.             Width: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded.             Base: Rounded to truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface:             Close to 137A. Color, lower surface: Close to N137B.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 5 cm. Length,             fourth peduncle: About 7 cm. Length, seventh peduncle: About             7 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Angle: About 30° from             vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Slightly pubescent.             Color: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:             Not observed.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date seed and fruit production have not             been observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have     demonstrated excellent garden performance and will tolerate     temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 45° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘G20FON14RE’ as illustrated and described. 